Indian hotel fires kills at least 15

A devastating fire tore through a budget hotel in Kolkata, India, killing at least 15 people, local authorities confirmed on Wednesday. The blaze, which began on Tuesday evening, forced panicked guests to climb out of windows and scramble onto the rooftop in a desperate bid to escape.

Kolkata police chief Manoj Verma stated that numerous guests were rescued from rooms and the roof of the Rituraj Hotel, which had 88 occupants at the time of the incident. He said that many of the deaths appeared to have been caused by suffocation as smoke rapidly filled the building, turning it into what he described as a “gas chamber.”

The fire broke out in a densely packed commercial area in the heart of Kolkata. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, though early indications point to serious safety violations.

At least 12 people sustained burns and are being treated in hospitals. The fire highlighted longstanding issues in India, where fires are frequent due to lax safety enforcement, poor infrastructure, and limited firefighting resources.

Eyewitness Nanda Mondal, who owns a construction business, told reporters that the hotel had plastic cladding which may have worsened the flames. “A man died while trying to escape by climbing down a rainwater pipe,” he added.

Footage from the Press Trust of India showed flames engulfing the building, with people attempting to flee through narrow ledges and windows. According to Kolkata’s The Telegraph, one man died after jumping from the rooftop in a last-ditch effort to save himself.

Verma confirmed that the fire has now been extinguished and that cooling operations are ongoing to prevent any flare-ups.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his condolences to the victims' families and wished a swift recovery for the injured. “May the injured recover soon,” read a statement from his office.

Kolkata, home to over 15 million people, is the capital of West Bengal state, which is governed by the opposition Trinamool Congress party. The tragedy has sparked political reactions, with BJP city councillor Sajal Ghosh blaming the incident on negligence. He also raised concerns about illegal constructions and poor safety standards in many of the city’s low-cost hotels.